Gizzard Shad (?)

[Skidsteer]

The sun melted the shoreline and I had to cast a few just to shake off the cabin fever. I was surprised by this:

Shad 2.jpg

I ended up catching 5 or 6 of them before needing to go in.

My first shad!

[bruce19365]

Looks like a hickory shad.

[bignose]

Very definitely a Gizzard Shad, aka Mud Shad, or Patapsco Permit.
Hickory Shad are not as wide across the mid section, plus the dorsal fin is different.
Unusual to catch one on a spinner jig, most are snagged during spawning season.
One of the smelliest fish.

[Skidsteer]

Unusual to catch one on a spinner jig, most are snagged during spawning season.

Funny you should say that - first one hit the spinner, the rest were caught on the back near the dorsal on a Rapala:

Shadd 3.jpg

I thought maybe they were hitting it in a territorial way and hooking up on the trebles.

[Skidsteer]

One of the smelliest fish.

My wife noticed

[Yak Fish]

Yah, lots of those shad in the Patapsco right now. Where were you fishing? I've been snagging them left and right. I bet they make good bait.

[Shady]

Easiest way to tell the gizzard from all the others is the long filament coming off the dorsal fin.

[Capt C-Hawk]

#1 bait for giant blue cats